Sealing machine and method



Sept. 27, 1966 c. P. ROBERTS ET AL 3,274,748

SEALING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed May 10, 1965 19 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS (ac/1. F? 6 056975 y JOSEPH PUNCO P 1956 c. P. ROBERTS ETAL 3,274,748

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SEALING MACHINE AND METHOD l9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 10, 1963 INVENTORS Use/z. F? Foacms ose/ H C. lPa/vco ABMs- MK Sept. 27, 1966 c. P. ROBERTS ETAL 3,274,748

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SEALING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed May 10, 1963 19 Sheets-Sheet 8 Ti E1. b

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SEALING MACHINE AND METHOD l9 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed May 10, 1963 I N VENTORS 6 5cm 1 Fear-F715 Joseph C Flip/CO Sept. 27, 1966 c. P. ROBERTS ETAL 3,274,748

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SEALING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed May 10, 1963 19 Sheets-Sheet 18 INVENTORS 05cm 7 $056,976 BY (loss/ h C" F n c0 wmaa m- INVENTORS flee/L P/FOfiEk/S JOSEPH C- Fu/YGO TM Y ult... ianulir C. P. ROBERTS ET AL SEALING MACHINE AND METHOD l9 Sheets-Sheet 19 Sept. 27, 1966 Flled May 10, 1963 United States Patent 3,274,748 SEALING MACHINE AND METHOD Cecil P. Roberts and Joseph C. Runco, Lancaster, Ohio,

assignors to Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, Lancaster, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 10, 1963, Ser. No. 279,458 25 Claims. (Cl. 53-38) The present invention relates to the sealing art and more particularly to a method and machine for sealing closure caps to glass containers. The invention is an improvement upon the machine and method described and claimed in United States Letters Patent No. 3,054,234 owned by the assignee of the present application.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is primarily for the application of closures which are applied to containers by a rotary or twisting action. Certain features of the invention are also applicable to machines for the application of so-called press-on closures in which the closures are applied by downward pressure.

The term, screw caps, is used generically herein and is intended to include the usual continuous thread caps, in which a full turn or more is required to seal, and the divided thread or lug caps which may be sealed by a quarter turn. The latter are sometimes called lug caps, divided thread caps, and twist caps. As indicated above, screw cap, as used herein, is intended to include the group.

The present invention aims to provide an improved sealing mechanism in which screw caps are more evenly applied with a more uniform torque to provide removal without undue efiort on the part of the housewife and at the same time to securely seal the product for safekeeping until it is opened for use. The invention achieves the above results with containers and closures which vary slightly in size due to limitations in the machinery for manufacturing the closures and the containers.

The invention extends the life and minimizes the replacement of the friction members which apply the torque for screwing the caps on the containers; thus not only increasing production and reducing maintenance but also assuring uniformity in the sealing operation.

The invention provides improvements in the mechanism for initially applying the closures to the containers so that they reach the sealing head, where the final sealing operation is performed, with the closures initially threaded sufficiently far on the threads to facilitate materially the final sealing operation. The invention provides easy adjustment of both the initial cap applying elements and the final sealing elements to compensate for variations in the height of the containers and other irregularities; thus minimizing shutdowns and providing more uniform sealmg.

One embodiment of the invention provides for the simultaneous adjustment of the operating speeds of all moving parts so that the speed of the various elements of the sealing machine and the speed of related devices in a sealing line, such as fillers and spacers, can be readily changed and at the same time kept in timed relation.

A further improvement enables the sealing elements of the machine to be readily observed while the machine is being run at full speed to permit adjustments required to give optimum performance.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved sealing machine and method for sealing closure caps to containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sealing machine for sealing screw closure caps to containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sealing machine for screw closures having greatly improved life for the cap engaging elements which must normally 'be replaced in such machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sealing machine for screw closures which remains in adjustment for extended periods by automatically compensating for part wear.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sealing machine for use with both screw closures and press-on closures and one which may be readily converted for either use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved vacuum type sealing machine which may be fully uncovered for observation and adjustment while running at normal operating conditions and speeds.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sealing machine which may be quickly, conveniently and simply adjusted for varying closure and container sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sealing machine wherein the speed of the moving parts may be conveniently adjusted without changing the synchronization of the related parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sealing machine wherein simultaneous adjustment may be made of the various related and synchronized moving parts and other cooperating machines.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the sealing machine in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the sealing machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the sealing machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed side view of the head assembly;

FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view of the head assembly with the cover removed;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the head -assembly taken along line 66' of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 7 to 10 are vertical sectional views of the head assembly taken along lines 77, 88, 8a-8a, 99, and 1010 respectively of FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view of the sealing machine base taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged detailed top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the cap feed chute;

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the cap chute of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a vertical sectional view of the cap chute taken along line 1414 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the cap applicator for screw caps;

FIG. 15A is a sectional view taken along the line ISA- 15A of FIG. 15;

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of the cap applicator of FIG. 15;

FIG. 16A is a fragmentary side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the applicator of FIG. 15;

FIGS. 17 to 20 are vertical sectional views of the cap applicator taken along lines 1717, 1818, 1919, and 2020 respectively of FIG. 16;

FIG. 21 is an end view of the cap applicator of FIG. 15; 

9. THE METHOD OF SEALING CONTAINER WITH A SCREW CAP WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF LOOSELY THREADING THE CAP TO THE TOP OF THE CONTAINERS, AN THEREAFTER MOVING THE CONTAINER TO CARRY AN OFF-CENTER PORTION OF THE TOP OF THE CAP INTO SLIDING FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH A RETARDING MEMBER AND AN OPPOSITE OFF-CENTER PORTION INTO FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH A MOVING ENDLESS BELT, MOVING SAID ENDLESS BELT AT A SPEED GREATER THAN SPEED OF THE MOVING CON- 